Manila: South Korea, China, and Japan have underscored the necessity for enhanced collaboration on supply chain and energy security during the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)+3 ministerial meeting. This initiative comes in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, as confirmed by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the consensus emerged at the 27th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Manila. The meeting convened high-ranking diplomats from the 11 ASEAN member states along with the three Northeast Asian countries to deliberate on advancing practical cooperation. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and China's Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying were among the key participants.
Foreign Minister Cho expressed concerns over the vulnerabilities exposed by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which have significantly impacted both food and energy security. He emphasized the urgency of leveraging the ASEAN Plus Three mechanism to demonstrate its value in addressing these challenges.
Cho also highlighted South Korea's contribution to regional food security through a mechanism providing rice assistance during emergencies. He called for expanded cooperation in this framework to tackle complex food security issues effectively. Furthermore, Cho proposed measures to diversify supply chains and reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to the ASEAN Power Grid project and regional energy security efforts in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi echoed the importance of the grouping in addressing energy and food security challenges, along with issues related to aging populations and disaster response. Meanwhile, China's Hua Chunying remarked on the geopolitical challenges affecting global supply chains and regional security, emphasizing the need for resilience amid a period of "turbulence and transformation."
Cho also reiterated Seoul's commitment to promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, seeking support for dialogue with North Korea. Despite strained inter-Korean relations and Pyongyang's recent diplomatic stance, Cho expressed hope for resuming dialogue and achieving peaceful coexistence.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding among participating countries on the need to develop existing cooperation mechanisms into more practical frameworks to tackle external shocks and global supply chain disruptions. Additionally, they agreed on the importance of addressing Korean Peninsula issues through dialogue and diplomacy.